_Sansthanaka._ Oh, you old bawd! You confessh it with your eyes, and deny it with your lips.
_Gild-warden and Clerk._ Speak carefully. Is it the same or not?
_Mother._ Sir, the craftsman's skill captivates the eye. But it is not the same.
_Judge._ My good woman, do you know these jewels?
_Mother._ No, I said. No! I don't recognize them; but perhaps they were made by the same craftsman.
Gems often seem alike in many ways, When the artist's mind on form and beauty plays; For craftsmen imitate what they have seen, And skilful hands remake what once has been. 34
_Gild-warden and Clerk._ Do these jewels belong to Charudatta?
_Gild-warden and Clerk._ How did she lose them?
_Charudatta._ She lost them. Yes, so much is true.
_Gild-warden and Clerk._ Charudatta, speak the truth in this matter. For you must remember,
Truth brings well-being in its train; Through speaking truth, no evils rise; Truth, precious syllable!--Refrain From hiding truth in lies. 35
_Charudatta._ The jewels, the jewels! I do not know. But I do know that they were taken from my house.
_Sansthanaka._ Firsht you take her into the garden and murder her. And now you hide it by tricky trickinessh.
_Judge._ Noble Charudatta, speak the truth!
Merciless lashes wait to smite This moment on thy tender flesh; And we--we can but think it right. 36
Of sinless sires I boast my birth, And sin in me was never found; Yet if suspicion taints my worth, What boots it though my heart be sound? 37
[_Aside._] And yet I know not what to do with life, so I be robbed of Vasantasena. [_Aloud._] Ah, why waste words?
A scoundrel I, who bear the blame, Nor think of earth, nor heaven blest; That sweetest maid, in passion's flame-- But _he_ will say the rest. 38
_Sansthanaka._ Killed her! Come, you shay it too. "I killed her."
_Sansthanaka._ Lishten, my mashters, lishten! He murdered her! No one but him! Doubt is over. Let punishment be inflicted on the body of thish poor Charudatta.
_Judge._ Beadle, we must do as the king's brother-in-law says. Guardsmen, lay hold on this Charudatta. [_The guardsmen do so._]
_Mother._ Be merciful, good gentlemen, be merciful! [_She repeats what she had said before, beginning_ "When the golden casket:" _page 143._] If my daughter is killed, she is killed. Let him live for me--bless him! And besides, a lawsuit is a matter between plaintiff and defendant. I am the real plaintiff. So let him go free!